Eyman initiative foes start to make up ground

Whether he’s limiting vehicle licensing fees or requiring votes on property tax hikes, professional initiative sponsor Tim Eyman has never lost a statewide election in an odd-numbered year.

Initiative 1033 will extend or break the streak.

A survey by nationally recognized pollster Tom Kiley, taken for I-1033 opponents, shows the measure leading by 51 percent to 31 percent – a six percent decline in support in the last month.

I-1033 would limit growth of state, county and local government spending to a formula based on the rate of inflation and population growth. The base line for calculating state government growth would be the cut-back, recession budget adopted earlier this year by the Washington Legislature.

On Thursday, a coalition of business, labor and citizen groups announced a campaign to defeat the measure. The Municipal League of King County declared its opposition earlier this week.

“Creating a job-growing economy requires investment in essential infrastructure such as higher education and a safe and efficient transportation system,” said George Allen, senior vice president for government at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.